Be still my beating heart

Thursday 2nd February
Rest
Got home from work and was getting into the running gear, when I realised that it was a rest day on my plan. A bit disappointed but what ya gonnna do... 

Friday 3rd February
5 hour LSR
As I had to babysit on Saturday evening, and couldn't do this Sunday due to other commitments, I had to take leave from work to do this today. In a way, it wasn't completely sensible to do this today as I'd done the hill sprints on Wednesday, but said nothing and decided to take the chance. Initially planned to do this at 24hour starting pace (10:15-20 min/mile).
Was raining consistently all morning. Parked up by the football pitches in the Phoenix Park so that the car was handy to pick up my drinks etc and proceeded to do laps of the pitches. The rain got heavier as I started running and I stupidly hadn't got my rain jacket on. After about an hour I was completely soaked through and put my jacket on over the soaking wet top. Turns out my jacket isn't really waterproof anyway so while it was another layer of clothing, it really didn't do much if anything to keep me warm or dry. My hands were frozen and I had to change my gloves 4 times as they were sopping wet with rain. Despite all of that, I enjoyed the run immensely and was full of beans today! I couldn't really take on my full quote of fluid (Tailwind) as my hands were too cold to hold the bottle but that didn't bother me at all as I had endless amounts of energy and the only problem was keeping the pace down. I couldn't really keep to the 24hour planned pace as it was a bit too cold to plod that slowly. Did 19 laps and really felt I had lots more left in the legs at the end of the run. Sped up a bit for the last few miles as it was getting very dark and I felt a little bit unsafe, as I could easily have been dragged into the bushes and never heard from again; it was very dark and very quiet and that could have been the end of Ososlo  :( 
Thrilled with that run and how easy it felt and love that loop for the long runs so might start doing the odd one here for a bit of diversity (plus the neighbours in Santry are realy starting to wonder about me out running around in circles, for hours on end, day after day, and it's getting a tad embarrassing!)Was frozen to the bone when I got home and got the life slowly back into the body with an hour long soak in the bath. Bliss.
30.5 miles @ 9:50

Saturday 4th February
am: 9 miles recovery @ 9:54
Well, I've never had chafing there before:eek:!!!! 
The legs felt so good though, I felt like I'd had a rest day the previous day! 
pm: 4.5 miles @ 10
This should have been an 8 mile run, but I had a very small window to do it in. It was only 4 hours since the earlier run and I had to be back to receive my charge for the evening (5 yo niece) so just did what I could manage. 

Sunday 5th February
Up early (for me) for Junior Parkrun in Albert College. NJ (niece) was asking this morning me if other kids got nervous before Parkrun. Poor thing was worrying about how she'd do! Kept the Garmin well hidden and ran the whole race with her. My sister was roped into marshalling and another sister ran with her partner's daughter who is the same age. It took NJ a while to get into her stride but when she did she was loving it. She'd sprint really fast for a few minutes, then walk a bit then speed up again. She loved passing people which proved difficult at times as (like in most 'races') kids and parents were walking 4/5 abreast across the path. She was buzzing during it and after it and can't wait to go again. She seems very competitive and was delighted to beat her little friend (I asked her at one point did she want to wait for her friend to catch up and she said 'No Aoife, I'm beating her, let's go faster') and wants to beat some of the faster boys and girls the next time. Training starts on Tuesday:D
1.2 miles @ 14:08
then... 
am: 8 miles easy @ 9:57
Laps of local park. Felt very tired as I'd a very poor night's sleep last night and felt very sleepy. 
pm: 6.6 miles @ 9:36
Brilliant run and could have gone a bit longer and faster but decided to ease off on the miles today a bit as it's my biggest week ever by about an hour and don't want to tempt fate as things are going so well! 
Weekly total: 106 miles (highest to-date)
17.5hrs

Ed Mc Groarty wrote: »

Some fantastic train going on here. Would be interesting to see how you would fair in a race soon but I suppose you're saving yourself for Belfast.
It would do no harm though in my opinion.

Thanks Ed. Not ruling out a race at all. A bit broke these days so the priority is to keep myself in runners and fuelling for the next 5 months (not cheap!). Will keep the eyes open though for something suitable that would fit in with plans and be a good tune up race. Have one or two things in mind.

Neady83 wrote: »

5 hours of loops, you're really dedicated A, hats off to you

Have you a deferred entry to the Conn Ultra?

Thanks Neady! Dedication or just madness:D

Yes, you're right, but I've decided not to do it this year. I'm just not prepared for the hills this year. Everything I do now is on the flat (similar profile to Belfast which is the only real goal race this year), bar the odd hill sprint, whereas last year I was doing a good bit of hillier work in training.
I really enjoyed that canal run in Longford last year (53k) so might go again... or I could just do the marathon in Longford, and put a bit more welly into it for a pb... without disrupting training too much. We'll see.

RubyK wrote: »

106 miles in a week :eek: Wow, that's some going Ososlo!!!

Thanks, Ruby! Just delighted to be remaining niggle free and to still be enjoying it as much as ever!

Hope London training is going really well for you! Excited to see how you'll go this year :-)

Monday 13th February
am: 6 miles @ 10:10
My watch froze so I cut the run short. How pathetic is that! Can’t bear not to have the stats afterwards. Supposed to be 12 miles easy.
pm: 10 miles @ 9:04 (fartlek)
Did a software update on the watch, then a soft reset and deleted the history from watch and it did the trick. ‘Hot Buttered Scones’ kindly sorted me out with another watch a few weeks back, so if this one starts playing up again, it’s great to have a backup. Thanks again, M!

Spiced up the evening run with some spurts of faster running over about 7 miles of this run. Nothing too crazy, but was hitting sub 7 pace for bits and pieces of this so nice to get the legs moving a bit faster again!

Tuesday 14th February
am: 11 miles recovery @ 9:56
pm: 10 miles easy @ 9:32

Wednesday 15 February
Rest
Went to Phoenix Park to do my hill sprints. Got out of the car and started running and I felt horrible. My arms and legs felt weak and my breathing was horrible so just plodded back to the car. I've lost about 2.5lbs in the last few days so it could have had something to do with that. My RHR was very low this morning (too low?), but I don't feel in any way sick or anything. Decided to take my rest day today instead of tomorrow. I stupidly went out to attempt to do my evening run also, but felt the same, so did an about-turn after a few mins and walked home. I KNEW deep down that I shouldn’t have bothered even attempting to run again today, but went anyway. I will never learn. I really need to start copping on and not just listening to the body, but actually obeying what it is trying to tell me to do. I was purely and simply, exhausted but afraid to admit it to myself.

Thursday 16 February
10 miles easy @ 9:40
Post work run. Felt great; all good in Ososlo’s running world again!

Friday 17 February
10.2 miles easy @ 9:37
As above

Saturday 18 February
am: 10.3 miles easy @ 9:32
Met up with my brother who wanted a bit of a tour of the park as he keeps getting lost when he runs there, so wanted me to show him around different parts to try and get his bearings. Went into Farmleigh which I haven’t really done before. He has to read every information panel and look at every monument and structure etc, so there was a bit of stopping and starting involved. Enjoyable all the same and very different to my usual loopy runs. This run was a bit shorter than planned but had stuff to do afterwards. I really need to manage my time a bit better and start getting up earlier on my days off. I can be extremely lazy betimes!!!
Pm: 10 miles easy @ 9:34
Back on me tod to the local night time loopy run.

Sunday 19 February
am: 12.2 miles easy @ 9:43
A bit tight for time this morning so did what I could manage. Should have been a bit longer and my 100+ mile week was slowly slipping away from me.
pm: 4 miles easy @ 9:39
Arrived in Kilkenny, and again, only had a very small window for running so managed a few miles but not half of what I wanted, but sometimes far more important things have to take precedence over running.

Weekly total: 94 miles
15hrs 6mins
The plan is to do a very long run at the weekend (longest ever training run) so gonna take it easy most of this week this week in order to prepare for that.

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Ah, only 94 miles this week :rolleyes::D:cool:. I'll think that's about my total for the month to date and I think I'm great .

But you are great:D
haha, I kinda lose all perspective with the mileage these days. I feel lazy and useless unless I hit 100 now. Crazy!

Bungy Girl wrote: »

A friend of mine took part in the 'last man standing' event last weekend and I was wondering if you'd heard of it or would ever have any interest ? Essentially a loopy run (4.2 miles) on the hour every hour until you're timed out or everyone else has given up/gone home/fallen asleep.

Yeah, I heard of it recently and a mate of mine (v.shy Boardsie ultra runner ) wanted me to do it with him, but I couldn't afford the trip. It does sound interesting alright and it's something I might do in the future. Did your friend enjoy it?

Monday February 20th
Rest

Tuesday February 21
am: 12 miles @ 9:54 incl 7 x 8 sec hill sprints
pm: 10.6 miles easy @ 9:42

Wednesday February 22
10.2 miles easy @ 9:46

Thursday February 23
6.2 miles @ 10
Keeping everything very easy and short in advance of super long run this week; a mini taper if you like.

Friday February 24
37 miles @ 10:03
Plan today was 40 miles @ 24 hour starting pace, which I hope to be about 10:10-10:15min/mile.
Took to the Acres in the Phoenix Park and proceeded to do 23 laps around the pitches. Each lap is about 1.6 miles. It was windy, but not too bad and only rained a little, so I got the best of the day really. Parked the car up alongside the loop so it was handy to pick up bottles of fuel as needed. I needed to pee really badly for the first 10 miles so didn't want to take in any more liquid until I had an opportunity to 'go'. It was a little busier than usual with kids off school. Eventually got the opportunity to go, and then started taking my Tailwind and took on about 200 calories of it per hour. I felt really good today, both mentally and physically. At no point did I not want to be doing what I was doing and wish I was finishing. You know you're turning into an ultra runner when you pass 26.2 and it doesn't even register with you and you don't think to check the watch! 30 miles was my longest ever training run before this, and when I got to 30 I was feeling really good still. The pace was a teeny bit faster than it should have been but it felt about right and sustainable for a much longer period. Both Overpronotor and Outforarun passed me at some stage(s?) but I have never met either of them so not sure when it was.
I made the same stupid mistake though as on my last long run: I didn't start the run early enough, so when it got to about 6:30 it was getting too dark to continue running and I just felt very unsafe. I did one loop I shouldn't have as it was too dark and too chancy. There were no people around except one guy lying down with a backpack over near the military building and I was petrified passing him. Then I started getting scared of the deer as they were all converging on the paths, and didn't seem to be afraid of me like they were in the brightness:eek:. I had to call it a day at 37 miles, but there would have been absolutely no problem continuing on at this pace for a lot longer, so that's all that matters really. I can genuinely say that I enjoyed every single moment of that run, except for the end when I was running scared. Can't wait for the next long one in a few weeks where I hope to do about 50ish.
I ate so much that night it was funny. I'll have to start keeping an eye on this or I'll be putting on weight!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday February 25th
6.5 miles recovery @ 10:28
All the bits and bobs felt fine today, but I was completely wrecked as I hardly slept the previous night. I was wired after the long run which is usually what happens, so no surprises there that it lead to a poor night. Legs felt the best they ever have after a long run which is a great sign.

Sunday February 26th
am: 14 miles easy @ 9:52
Another night of very poor sleep. I'll crack up if I don't get a decent night soon. Very frustrating...
Crazy storm with wind and hail and some sunshine for this- a little bit of everything really but I enjoyed this enormously regardless of conditions and sleepiness.
pm: 6.6 miles easy @ 9:29
Nice and easy. Suits me, oh so much.

Weekly total: 103.5
17hrs 7mins

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Total and utter awe. Can't tell you how much I am enjoying watching your journey unfold!

Good to see you popping up here! Don't suppose we'll get a log update soon??? Hope all is going really well! And thank you!

Neady83 wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek: you're determination and motivation is without a doubt second to none. Your log is a credit to you and a great tool for anyone starting out in their running career.

Look who's talking:eek: Right back at ya Neady:D

Singer wrote: »

You slacker! :pac:

And 2 days of only 6 miles! MUST TRY HARDER:pac:

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

This is amazing. *Only* 37 miles. Looking forward to reading about the next adventure!

Thanks WW! Hopefully the next one will be half as enjoyable as the last one!

ariana` wrote: »

OMG I couldn't run that in a month :eek:

You're truly inspirational.

Of course you could! It's only a few years ago since I thought I couldn't run for 60 seconds without dying. If you want to do it enough, you can do it, and more:) Thanks so much, ariana '!